Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2017

Lord TSC

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Shout out to TSC, thought the match thread would be up and locked by now.....

Mick, I thought Zerks was the slow one?



EDIT: Actually, could have read your post wrong and you were wondering why I hadn't locked the one thats up; if you meant "usually it would have been made and locked but it hasn't been yet", then *shrugs* Same gif :P

beakerjoe

TheDoc wrote: »

I'd be hoping for all 3 points. Whatever about people saying "form" goes out the window, this Liverpool team are not in any great shape, they have no specialists in either box, we should be able to really get at them and I just don't see any area of the pitch where we can't match or better them.

I've felt that way about Liverpool in most occasions. It would be nice to have a United team step out at Anfield and be really assertive.

While you can't expect anything in certain games in this league, I'll be disappointed if we don't come away with three points, mitigating circumstances in the match aside.

I'd imagine Jose won't be able to help himself and he will likely tailor his game to Liverpool, Herrera likely coming in for a job on Coutinho and us playing 4-3-3 with Rashford and Mhiki out wide playing as auxiliary full backs, looking to try catch them on the break.

When really, should be going out with what we have been doing. Klopp looks like one of those managers that doesn't tailor his team to the opposition, so I'd have faith in our existing tactics and setups dealing with their threat, while being too much for them to handle when we attack.

All the talk, and in fairness it is the reality, is we have had an exceptionally easy start and this is our first test. Would be nice to put down a real statement by beating a rival.

While I am of the thinking to a degree that this game is a usual "form goes out the window kind of game", I do think this game is a big point in the season for Jose and this Utd side.

Yes, its in Anfield and the athmosphere will make things special and yes Liverpool usually turn up teh volume in big games, however United are riding high at the moment and look like a new team compaired to the team of last year. Liverpool in contrast are wounded and now would be the perfect opportunity for United to make a statement of intent on their intentions for the season. jose surely has to be thinking its the perfect time to go for the throat of a direct rival and show the League just what United are capable of.

United can make an example out of Pool tomorrow and while a draw wouldnt be a bad result, it could be a huge missed opportunity for United not to roll over a direct rival and bring the fear of United back into opposing teams.

Id love a 3 nil United scorline, and thats an achievable possibility IMO.

bennyineire

Love the optimism lads, more than 1 of you seem to think an easy 3 - 0 win.
Ye seem to forget the Liverpool always step it up in these type games, plus there has been a break.

It will NOT be an easy win and most likely not a win at all, take the blinkers off.
Can't wait for a big performance from Liverpool tomorrow, lets hope Jose tries to have a go but I doubt he will.

It will come down to whether Liverpool can score in the first 20 minutes I feel

beakerjoe

bennyineire wrote: »

Love the optimism lads, more than 1 of you seem to think an easy 3 - 0 win.
Ye seem to forget the Liverpool always step it up in these type games, plus there has been a break.

It will NOT be an easy win and most likely not a win at all, take the blinkers off.
Can't wait for a big performance from Liverpool tomorrow, lets hope Jose tries to have a go but I doubt he will.

It will come down to whether Liverpool can score in the first 20 minutes I feel

Ah now allow me to clarify, I feel if we play our best we can beat Pool comfortably, I wouldnt be surprised with a 3 - 0 win.

However it can go either way, Id expect a difficult game but I have confidence that with Liverpool being subpar lately and us being on fine form, they are their for the taking.

J. Marston

Liverpool were the better team against City until the red, even accounting for the against the run of play goal City scored. Also, if they lose this, their league season would be approaching crisis point.

Game raising will be at critical mass.

beakerjoe

J. Marston wrote: »

Liverpool were the better team against City until the red, even accounting for the against the run of play goal City scored. Also, if they lose this, their league season would be approaching crisis point.

Game raising will be at critical mass.

I agree they looked very good against City, but City soaked up the early pressure and exploited their fragile defence. I believe United could easily do the same thing.

Its a pity the red card happened as I would have loved to see how Pool responded as the game went on.

VW 1

What time is today's press conference? Any update on whether jones will be fit?

bucketybuck

I don't know why people are predicting 3-0 wins, I do suspect in general that people are a little carried away by good results in what was a very easy run of games.

3-0 would be nice but I don't really expect it. I do want a win though, and a win based on a comfortable, dominant performance, not a Southampton style scramble over the line because we couldn't compete with Jordan Henderson in midfield...

FatherTed

bucketybuck wrote: »

I don't know why people are predicting 3-0 wins, I do suspect in general that people are a little carried away by good results in what was a very easy run of games.

3-0 would be nice but I don't really expect it. I do want a win though, and a win based on a comfortable, dominant performance, not a Southampton style scramble over the line because we couldn't compete with Jordan Henderson in midfield...

You're right, it's a derby game and really it's impossible to predict what will happen on the day. Let's be realistic, both teams have the potential/talent to pull off a win especially with the disruption of the international break thrown in there as well.

Kerrydude1981

Fully expecting Pool to put in a performance tomorrow,if they cant raise the game for Utd then they have some serious question marks over the squad

Still think Utd will nick it though 2-1

Lord TSC

People keep saying "Oh, form goes out the window, Pool will step up their game because it's us."

Why do people ignore the possibility we too could step up our game cause it's Pool? And that our step up would be ****ing terrifying?

Lord TSC

Lord TSC wrote: »

People keep saying "Oh, form goes out the window, Pool will step up their game because it's us."

Why do people ignore the possibility we too could step up our game cause it's Pool? And that our step up would be ****ing terrifying?

Exactly, sick of reading it.

Utd the in-from team and that's not just the PL.

Factor in morale seems to be very high at the moment and our attacking players are extremely confident in front of goal this season.
There's no way Liverpool keep a clean sheet against us.

thelad95

This is a make or break season defining game for Pool, for us it's just another game.

jacool

Jose on the mike now: "New system. Nine strikers, don't worry about it." Jones and De Gea pick themselves I suppose.

Lord TSC

thelad95 wrote: »

This is a make or break season defining game for Pool, for us it's just another game.

Joking aside, it's our first "big" game this season (Our first, iirc, against someone in the top half of the league currently). But if we, God forbid, lose, then we'll brush it off with annoyance and keep going.

For Klopp though, you've got to imagine it puts so much pressure on him if we rock up to Anfield and win. We'd be ten points ahead of them at that point too.

Lithium93_

Lord TSC wrote: »

People keep saying "Oh, form goes out the window, Pool will step up their game because it's us."

Why do people ignore the possibility we too could step up our game cause it's Pool? And that our step up would be ****ing terrifying?

I know United have been playing some pretty good bloody football lately, plenty of 4-0 wins, 4 goals conceded. As for United stepping up to "****ing terrifying", are we thinking more than 4 goals? Absolutely whooping and humiliating Liverpool?

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Exactly, sick of reading it.

Utd the in-from team and that's not just the PL.

Factor in morale seems to be very high at the moment and our attacking players are extremely confident in front of goal this season.
There's no way Liverpool keep a clean sheet against us.

And they are scoring for fun to boot.

Lithium93_

2017/18 team photo.

caviardreams

Sorry if posted already but....

It's times like this I wish I was a Mumbai youngster

Mata is really such a cool guy

Trigger

Lithium93_ wrote: »

2017/18 team photo.

Ah here, Pogba photoshopped into that picture.

RobbingBandit

Ibra and Lukaku all smiles, Valencia all business. Young looks down right angry

Cantona's Collars

You'd swear we were the Irish team with all the talk of long balls in the match thread,funny how Liverpool play more long balls than us,yet that is conveniently ignored.;)

FatherTed

Lithium93_ wrote: »

2017/18 team photo.

Luke Shaw on the pies again...

Hotblack Desiato

FatherTed wrote: »

Luke Shaw on the pies again...

Manboobs or just pecs? :pac:

Hotblack Desiato

TheDoc wrote: »

All the talk, and in fairness it is the reality, is we have had an exceptionally easy start and this is our first test. Would be nice to put down a real statement by beating a rival.

Yes we have had an easy run of fixtures to start, but you can only beat the teams that are put up against you and, Stoke and Southampton aside, we've run out easy winners. But can a team that's already seven points behind and 18 behind on goal difference really be called a rival? Yes but on history not current form. Unless they can turn things around and fast, there's no way they'll be competing with us for PL position at season's end, they're already at risk of slipping out of the battle for CL places before Xmas.

Their problem is that Klopp is a stubborn fecker who thinks that if his team play the way he wants they can beat anyone. Their current squad is nowhere near having enough quality to be able to do that. AF was a stubborn fecker too but he adapted his team and tactics to the opposition - did he ever pick the same starting XI twice? Klopp's signings have been largely underwhelming and, until they signed the underwhelming Oxlade-Chamberlain, they were making a profit of £15m in transfers since Klopp joined. He's had two years now and the excuses have to start wearing thin sometime.

Jose is, if anything, even more into adapting his team game by game than AF. I just hope he doesn't go too conservative on the starting XI as I think we can take this lot to the cleaners if we go about it the right way. Should we try for a 0-0 at HT and then make attacking subs? Or just go for broke from the off and try to stun them into submission with a couple of goals in the first 30 mins? I don't know, I'd favour the latter, but I'm not the one being paid big bucks to make the decision

bangkok

astradave wrote: »

Ah here, Pogba photoshopped into that picture.

Pogba?? The whole squad is photoshopped into the photo

jayo26

bangkok wrote: »

Pogba?? The whole squad is photoshopped into the photo

Think its the photo is Photoshop behind the squad

FatherTed

FatherTed wrote: »

Luke Shaw on the pies again...

Because he has a pec showing? In that case, look at the moobs on Fellaini, and when is Mkhi's due date? :pac:

Shaw has (had) fitness issues no doubt, but I don't think he will ever be what some people call 'skinny'. His frame and build won't allow it. Seems to be a stocky chap by nature. Sort of like Anderson, before Anderson got his KFC loyalty card and added to that naturally stocky build.

It's not the kindest team photo to a few of them there in fairness, poor Lindelof looks constipated.

Hotblack Desiato

Ah c'mon. You can't compare Shaw's chesticles with Fellaini's, the latter's shirt is hanging the former's is bulging :eek: of course, it is possible it is 100% muscle built up in the gym when he was off injured and couldn't run, but I wouldn't lay money on that...

jayo26

You know your team handling well when all we have to do is talk about the players bodies.

Hopefully we will be along the same lines tomorrow night.

Hotblack Desiato

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Ah c'mon. You can't compare Shaw's chesticles with Fellaini's, the latter's shirt is hanging the former's is bulging :eek: of course, it is possible it is 100% muscle built up in the gym when he was off injured and couldn't run, but I wouldn't lay money on that...

Not getting drawn into this in too much detail on a Friday night, 13 hours before a game we could be talking about. I've conceded that Shaw has fitness issues, just that photo doesn't demonstrate them for me. What you guys are talking about looks to me like something I'd workout in the hopes of achieving, a block of lean chest muscle. I could be wrong though and that's fine.

I'll leave it to his performances to judge. Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking the high road. What I mean by that is it will be far easier to see any jiggling and bouncing when he's running

Hotblack Desiato

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41616425

Klopp seems worried about United's attacking threat...

S.M.B.

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Yes we have had an easy run of fixtures to start, but you can only beat the teams that are put up against you and, Stoke and Southampton aside, we've run out easy winners. But can a team that's already seven points behind and 18 behind on goal difference really be called a rival? Yes but on history not current form. Unless they can turn things around and fast, there's no way they'll be competing with us for PL position at season's end, they're already at risk of slipping out of the battle for CL places before Xmas.

Towards the end of last October we were 8 points behind Liverpool and we would have felt like we were still their rivals and capable of beating them.

I really do hope I'm wrong and we run out comfortable winners tomorrow but I certainly won't be lumping money on a united win. Bookies now have it as 9/5,9/4,9/5.

Hotblack Desiato

I'm as disappointed as anyone how Shaw has turned out so far, most of which is down to injury and not his fault. He's a player of great potential, but when are we going to realise it? Martial was written off by some and now he appears rejuvenated, long may that continue and I really hope Shaw can step up and do the same because a specialist LB with strong attacking potential is needed. He provided us with a glimpse of what he could do before that fecker snapped his leg

Liam McPoyle

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41616425

Klopp seems worried about United's attacking threat...

S'grand, Bennyineire isn't, Klopp is clearly deluded like us.

Hotblack Desiato

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

I'm as disappointed as anyone how Shaw has turned out so far, most of which is down to injury and not his fault. He's a player of great potential, but when are we going to realise it? Martial was written off by some and now he appears rejuvenated, long may that continue and I really hope Shaw can step up and do the same because a specialist LB with strong attacking potential is needed. He provided us with a glimpse of what he could do before that fecker snapped his leg

The jury is still out for me on Shaw, and I don't think it's a minority opinion.

Is it a bit unfair to him given that brutal leg injury he suffered 2 years ago, and then his subsequent injuries? No, I don't think so. He has had chances between injuries, and unfortunately didn't step up. His manager clearly wasn't happy with him, and Shaw's brother tweeting all that bullshít during this didn't help matters.

That said, I want to see Luke Shaw become a great player and do it for Untied at LB. It's easy to forget that he can be very committed to his fitness. Going into that 2015-16 season where he got his leg broken, he hired a personal fitness coach and got himself in great shape and looked good in early games. I do think he can be committed, and fair play to him for coming back from that horrific leg break. There's nothing lazy or easy about that I'm sure.

I feel though that if this season passes by as another non-event for him, it will push him closer to the exit door.

Martial's potential was questioned, but at least during that poor form last season Martial was playing often and remained uninjured. Shaw has to get back to regular first team football and fitness first, and then try to put together an impressive run. He has a lot of work to do.

Also, what Martial showed us in those first few months at United left no doubt that despite dips in form, the boy could play football and had scary potential. Aside from a few good games at LB with Memphis Depay at LW, I can't remember a similar show of promise from Luke Shaw at United. Admittedly, that good run for Shaw was cut short by Hector Moreno and not by Shaw falling out of form himself. It's been a tough stint for Shaw, and not all his own doing at all.

Here's hoping he gets there with us, and soon.

Trigger

jayo26 wrote: »

Think its the photo is Photoshop behind the squad

United need to employ a better picture wiz

J. Marston

Odd to photoshop a squad picture. Wouldn't it take like 10 minutes to do?

jayo26

J. Marston wrote: »

Odd to photoshop a squad picture. Wouldn't it take like 10 minutes to do?

Yep my thoughts exactly. I used to love the old squad pictures every year taking with the umbro logo in the seating of the main stand I think it was back then.

astradave

astradave wrote: »

United need to employ a better picture wiz

In all seriousness, it's an absolutely terrible team photo.

For much of the 90s, I had a large enough team pic framed over my bed. It was clear and real, you could almost touch the grass by Cantona's feet.

That latest team photo, even the small version looks horrendous and unnatural. I'd hate to see it blown up to the size of something to be hung on a wall. Not just Pogba, there's a few players/personnel there looking a bit too holographic.

Photoshop technology is great and all that. But far too many times it's used 'just because it's there and we can' rather than as a necessity to touch up a well-taken photo.

From what I can see in this photo, and I don't have a photography-trained eye in my head, most of the players are there. Wherever 'there' is. They are on some grass, but they are no more in Old Trafford than they are on the moon. Then the missing players have been copied and pasted in. I've seen better jobs done on images/gifs posted in the humour thread.

I can imagine the tech heads doing this - "It'll be fine, we can do this without everyone present, no one but us will notice in the finished product".

I'm not saying the club needed to hire Anton Corbijn to do the photo, but the club did a much better job 20 years ago with a lot less tech.

yabadabado

Yeah its terrible,have better school photos from 20 years ago.
Surely it isnt that hard to get all the players and staff together for a half hour and take a photo ffs.

bucketybuck

Luke Shaw again?

I said he was done a long time ago, its now October 2017 and not a single thing has happened since to prove me wrong.

Google tells me he has been available for selection since Aug 20th, yet it is to the shock and surprise of absolutely nobody that he remains nowhere near a first team spot.

I wish I was wrong, I really do, but we have had this conversation many times and the only thing that has changed is the number of years it has been since Shaw had a good game for Manchester United.

He was £30 million when that was still a crazy amount of money, I still don't think he has the character to make it happen, I still think he won't make it at Manchester United.

See you all again in 4 months!

jayo26

bucketybuck wrote: »

Luke Shaw again?

I said he was done a long time ago, its now October 2017 and not a single thing has happened since to prove me wrong.

Google tells me he has been available for selection since Aug 20th, yet it is to the shock and surprise of absolutely nobody that he remains nowhere near a first team spot.

I wish I was wrong, I really do, but we have had this conversation many times and the only thing that has changed is the number of years it has been since Shaw had a good game for Manchester United.

He was £30 million when that was still a crazy amount of money, I still don't think he has the character to make it happen, I still think he won't make it at Manchester United.

See you all again in 4 months!

Shaw has been a decent player when he has had a run in the team he is still young and has plenty of time.

Nearly everyone here had Jones wrote off over the years for pretty much the same things that are happening Shaw i don't think jose has given up on him I think he is leaving him where he is to work on his fitness and confidence away from scrutiny.

It is far too soon to write him off.

Never forget...

https://twitter.com/MufcSongs/status/918869904660598784

beno619

jayo26 wrote: »

Shaw has been a decent player when he has had a run in the team he is still young and has plenty of time.

Nearly everyone here had Jones wrote off over the years for pretty much the same things that are happening Shaw i don't think jose has given up on him I think he is leaving him where he is to work on his fitness and confidence away from scrutiny.

It is far too soon to write him off.

Not the greatest comparison as Jones still has to convince a few on here.

Jones was also consistently very good in between injuries the question was just "can he stay fit ?" As far as I'm concerned.

With Shaw there are questions marks about fitness, ability and mentality.

I'm a fan though and he's young enough to turn things around at United.

jayo26

beno619 wrote: »

Not the greatest comparison as Jones still has to convince a few on here.

Jones was also consistently very good in between injuries the question was just "can he stay fit ?" As far as I'm concerned.

With Shaw there are questions marks about fitness, ability and mentality.

I'm a fan though and he's young enough to turn things around at United.

Jones was questioned as was he good enough to be worth the hassle people use to make a joke of the fact Fergie said he could be so good.

Shaw has impressed too he has made some silly choices regarding his fitness maybe but he has looked a top quality player at times too same as Jones did.

My point is don't be so quick to right off Shaw maybe he will never fulfil his potential with but leave him build his body back up in the reserves and give him chances when he is back on track is not a bad .

yabadabado

Is Shaw available for selection now ?Building back up fitness?

Mitch Connor

yabadabado wrote: »

Is Shaw available for selection now ?Building back up fitness?

Yeah, hes not injured but hasn't been seen in first team.. A couple of u23 outings. Don't know if it's match fitness {didn't do preseason} or Jose just not liking him.

bucketybuck

jayo26 wrote: »

Shaw has been a decent player when he has had a run in the team

Has he though?

He has had 48 appearances in 4 years at the club and outside of the same 3/4 game spell that everybody keeps referring to, I can't remember a single time where he has impressed?

Forget the injuries, when he does get chances he never comes into the team and makes an impression, its always just an average performance at best explained away by this constant need for more fitness and gametime.

And don't forget, he was available for a full season under Van Gaal, he was available from the start until nearly the end of last season for Mourinho, he has been available for long stretches and yet never makes any impression whatsoever.

And he is available now, we have had 3 different left backs this season and Ashley Young currently has the job yet still Luke Shaw can't convince the manager that he is worth putting in the team. Its all too familiar.

wanderer100

Lets gooooo

https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/919148324321742848

Headshot

Go wan Martial